Worth Waiting For
by Madam-bluebonnet
Summary: After being stuck with the Secretary's daughter during the lockdown, Blake begins to see a new side to Stephanie McCord
1. Chapter 1

_A/N_

 _I want to dedicate this story to Kate!_

 _Thank you for supporting me and pushing me to do something different._

Blake Moran was tired. It had been an eventful day to say the least. It started out like a typical day at the State Department. The delegation from the government of Iraq were expected to meet with the Secretary and then move on to the White House. Nothing ever went as planned though and consequently, due to a lockdown he had spent most of his day in a room with the Secretary's eldest daughter. She had opened up to him, but she seemed more distant after talking with her mom. Before she left Stevie had hugged him and said _"You know we spend all this time wondering whether we're even good enough to be around her but what if we're better. Did you ever think about that?"_

He hadn't ever thought about it. Whatever his boss had shared with her daughter must have been terrible to leave Stevie wondering about her mother's worth. He had just poured himself a drink when he heard a knock at his door. To his surprise Stephanie McCord stood on the other side. She looked like she had been crying and she had a suitcase with her.

"Hi, I'm sorry for just showing up but I didn't have anywhere else to go." She had meant it to be coherent but instead it sounded jumbled. Blake opened the door and stepped aside to let her in.

"Stephanie, do your parents know where you are?" Blake asked her.

"No, I told my mom I was staying with friends, but my friend had a male guest and I can't stay there. After today I couldn't stay at home. I can't be in the same house as her. I wanted to go to a bar, but I came here instead. "

Blake sighed and decided she probably needed to talk to someone. He put away the scotch and made two cups of tea before joining her on the couch.

Stevie accepted the tea Blake offered but stayed quiet. She didn't know where to start since she wasn't completely sure why she was here. Earlier in the day she felt she had bonded with Blake. Could she really tell him everything her mom had revealed earlier?

"She had someone tortured. She said she wasn't in the room but like that matters. She told me she knew what was happening, that she let it happen. I knew she was CIA and I don't know what I thought but never would I have imagined that she could do that. She said it why she eventually left. She just came home like nothing happened. She coached my soccer team. She told us she was in Jordan the whole time. She lied!"

Stevie wasn't sure when she started crying during her rant, but she realized she had tears running down her face. Blake wrapped his arms around Stevie to comfort her and they sat like that, neither speaking for a long while. Finally gathering his courage, Blake broke the silence.

"Stephanie, I know this hard. I'm not defending your mom, but I think you need to look at things from her point of view. She was in a war zone. She must have been pushed so far past her breaking point. It doesn't sound like it was a decision she made lightly, that the decision she made that day will haunt her the rest of her life. I also know she was forced into telling you. She was threatened, Stephanie. She knew one way or another you were going to find out today and she wanted to be the one to tell you. I saw her right after and I could see the hurt and devastation in her eyes. We all do things we aren't proud of. You can't let one bad decision ruin how you see her. It doesn't change the woman she has become. She still loves you so very much."

Stevie didn't respond she just quietly absorbing his words. They remained silently sitting on the couch, Blake's arms wrapped around Stevie while her head was resting on his chest. Blake woke up the next morning to find Stephanie still wrapped in his arms. He carefully untangled himself from Stephanie, as not to wake her. He went about his morning routine as normal. With one last look at the woman still sleeping on his couch he left a note and key on the table before slipping out of the apartment.

Later that day while sitting in a meeting with the Secretary, Blake's phone vibrated in his pocket. He smiled as he opened the message the from Stevie.

 _Thanks for last night. You are very special Blake and I'm lucky to have you in my life. I'll get the key back to you._

He typed a quick reply.

 ** _You're welcome. Keep the key you may need it._**

Across from him Elizabeth wondered about the text her assistant had received that had him smiling bigger then she had ever seen. She didn't comment but filed the information away for later. He would tell her when he was ready.


	2. Chapter 2

Stevie hadn't shown up at his apartment again since that first night and Blake wasn't sure what to think so he put it out of mind and moved on. He didn't hear from her again until the McCord's went to New York for their anniversary. Allison had texted her about Jason, saying Blake was taking him to the emergency room.

Blake was anxiously waiting on the results of Jason's x-rays when he felt his phone vibrate. He assumed it was the Secretary checking in but was surprised to see a message from Stevie instead.

 _What happened? Ali said you had to take Jason to the ER for his foot. Is he okay? Are you? Do you need me to come home?_

Blake sighed, he could admit to himself that it would be great to have her there, but he didn't want to ruin her weekend. He texted her back trying to reassure her.

 _ **Jason is fine, just waiting on the x-rays. I'm feeling guilty for breaking my boss's kid while she is away. I appreciate the offer for you to join us but it's not necessary. Have fun with your friends and I will let you know how this turns out.**_

Stephanie quickly read the reply and typed back her own.

 _Don't worry, mom won't be too mad. If you need me, let me know._

Blake read the message and smiled. He put his phone back in his pocket and picked up a magazine. Stevie didn't hear from Blake again except for the short text telling her nothing was broken.

One night after the Secretary left for Bahrain, Blake arrived home to find Stevie waiting for him in his apartment. When he asked her how she got in she just held up the key he had previously given her.

This time instead of sitting and crying, she paced the floor ranting in anger. She couldn't believe how her mom could be friends with that man that her moral compass must have always been broken. Her anger gradually turned to sadness and she sat down next to Blake and cried. Despite being angry with her mother she hated seeing her so hurt. She admitted to Blake that she had mixed feelings, knowing that prince was an old friend of her moms, but she was still angry with her. She wound up falling asleep once again wrapped safely in Blake's arms.

The next morning Blake left for work leaving Stevie sleeping on his couch. It was few days later after the Secretary returned from Bahrain before he heard from Stevie again. He was sitting in the Secretary's office when his phone vibrated. He smiled when he realized who it was from.

 _Thank you for the other night. I'm so happy to have someone like you in my life to lean on. I thought you would be happy to know that I moved back home and made up with my mom._

Across from him sitting at her desk Elizabeth saw the smile on Blake's face as he looked at his phone. She had a suspicion something was going on, but he was happy for him. In those few moments she really saw happiness in his face.

The next time Blake heard from Stevie she told him she was applying at Georgetown and would be doing an internship with the micro loans program. He was truly happy she seemed to be finding her way again. He realized that he had come to care for Stephanie McCord. He had enjoyed holding her in his arms, it had felt so right, and he hadn't felt this way in a long time. He knew he could never have a relationship with his boss's daughter. Friends, that was all they could be.

Across town Stevie was thinking about Blake. She enjoyed his company, he was a good listener, he was handsome and smart and being in his arms made her feel safe. If she was being honest with herself, she was beginning to see him as more than a friend. She knew she couldn't date her mom's assistant, if it ended badly it would be awkward. Friends she decided, that is all it could be.


	3. Chapter 3

Blake was exhausted after the long hours spent not knowing the fate of his boss. Emotions and tensions had run high in the State Department from the moment the Secretary landed in Iran, and they had been relieved when she was found alive. All Blake wanted was a hot shower and to fall into bed,tired after what felt like weeks at the office.

He had just showered and changed when he heard the knock on the door. He wasn't surprised to see Stevie standing there, her eyes red and puffy from crying. She threw herself at him causing his to stumble before wrapping her in his arms and kicking the door shut. Blake tried to guide her to the couch but she wasn't cooperating. As her body shook with the force of her sobs, he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the couch.

Neither spoke a word as Blake settled on the couch, Stevie curling into his lap. Holding her, hearing and feeling her sobs was more than he could take. The emotions of the last few days finally caught up with him and feeling Stevie's tears soak into his shirt he allowed himself to cry with her.

Neither knew how long they stayed that way as their sobs quieted and their tears stopped. Blake became aware that he was currently rubbing circles on her back and that hers were in his hair but it felt too good to stop. Stevie looked up from his chest to meet his gaze and what she saw in his eyes shocked her. He wanted her. She tentatively leaned in and brushed her lips against his, causing Blake to freeze for a moment before returning her kiss. He kissed her softly at first before deepening the kiss. It quickly became passionate, his hand gently capturing her cheek and pulling her further into him. Stephanie shifted in his lap so that she was now straddling his legs. She could feel his desire pressing against her stomach.

Blake ran his hand under her sweater caressing her stomach and slowly moving up to caress the underside of her breast eliciting a moan from Stevie, hearing her moan brought him back to his senses and reality crashing back around suddenly broke the kiss and just stared at her. Stevie immediately saw the regret in his eyes.

"Stephanie we can't do this, as much as I want to. God knows I want nothing more than to take you to my bed and make love to you all night. Stephanie I have wanted you for months, ever since that first time you fell asleep in my arms. But your mom is my boss and we need to be smart about this."

Stephanie sighed and laid her head against his shoulder, knowing he was right.

"I know. Of course you're right. I just I want you and this feels so right."

Stephanie reluctantly climbed off his lap and took a few steps away to distance herself.

"What do we do now Blake?"

Blake stood and walked over to her wrapping her in his arms.

"I honestly don't know. I love having you in my life and I love spending time with you. I'm always going to be here for you Stephanie."

Stevie was devastated, even accepting the reasons they couldn't be together didn't change her feelings. She pulled away from him and said goodbye, leaving the apartment without looking back.

Blake's heart broke watching her walk out the door fearing she had walked out of his life forever.


End file.
